Glen Ridge Joins Other New Jersey Towns In Banning Trick-Or-Treating For Halloween
GLEN RIDGE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- With COVID cases rising in New Jersey, Halloween trick-or-treating has already been banned in several towns, including Bound Brook and Plainfield.
Tuesday, the Glen Ridge Borough Council passed a resolution joining them.
Homeowners in Glen Ridge go all out with the scary skeletons and pumpkins on porches. Halloween is a holiday that ranks high up there for 8-year-old Spencer Wiley.
"My second favorite," Spencer told CBS2's Jessica Layton.
But this year, the fear of the coronavirus is forcing families to say RIP to trick-or-treating, to which Spencer and his dad, Paul Wiley, say "boo."
"I think it's unfortunate, but it is what it is. Everyone needs to be safe," Wiley said.
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Gov. Phil Murphy has said that Halloween is a go in the state, but Glen Ridge put out a notice citing the CDC, which determined it's a high-risk activity to participate in traditional Halloween trick-or-treating.
It's not just handing out candy that's a concern, it's the crowds. In Glen Ridge, residents welcome kids from all over the region. Some people end up giving out more than 1,000 treats.
Sandy Broadbent wasn't sure she was going to take 3-year-old Alexander out to get candy anyway. Tuesday was his first time at the park since the pandemic began.
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"It's just a scary situation right now, so you have to take as much precaution as you can," Broadbent said.
Instead, she plans to have a Halloween scavenger hunt at home.
Doctors recommend outdoor activities only, like small costume gatherings with trusted neighbors, and they say avoid trunk-or-treating unless cars are spaced out.
Glen Ridge still hasn't said how it plans to enforce the no door-to-door rule but is planning other events to celebrate Halloween.
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